EP0908039A1 - Reseau ordonne en anneau reconfigurable dynamiquement - Google Patents

Reseau ordonne en anneau reconfigurable dynamiquement

Info

Publication number
EP0908039A1
EP0908039A1 EP97932375A EP97932375A EP0908039A1 EP 0908039 A1 EP0908039 A1 EP 0908039A1 EP 97932375 A EP97932375 A EP 97932375A EP 97932375 A EP97932375 A EP 97932375A EP 0908039 A1 EP0908039 A1 EP 0908039A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
node
network
data
channel
connection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP97932375A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Timothy G. Gilbert
Istvan Fekete
Jeffrey Schindler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gateway Inc
Original Assignee
Gateway Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gateway Inc filed Critical Gateway Inc
Publication of EP0908039A1 publication Critical patent/EP0908039A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/42Loop networks
    • H04L12/427Loop networks with decentralised control
    • H04L12/433Loop networks with decentralised control with asynchronous transmission, e.g. token ring, register insertion
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L49/00Packet switching elements
    • H04L49/35Switches specially adapted for specific applications
    • H04L49/351Switches specially adapted for specific applications for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/42Loop networks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to networking technology, and more particularly to a network that is ring ordered, dynamically reconfigurable, and utilizes an existing communications system.
  • Networks are typically used to allow nodes, frequently computers, to communicate with one another. In this way, electronic mail, data files, and other information can be exchanged among computers.
  • the computers may, for example, be located in a common office, or alternatively separated from each other by great distances.
  • Present-day networks typically utilize technologies which are hard wired and use special-purpose cables and circuitry.
  • a local-area network (LAN) connecting computers within an office may use an Ethernet topology.
  • a special cable must be run from the server to each computer in the network.
  • Such a network is also generally not easily reconfigured. If a computer needs to be added or removed from the network, the entire network must first be taken down, reconfigured, and then turned back on. No dynamic reconfiguration is usually possible; a node cannot be added or removed from the network while other nodes on the network continue to communicate with one another.
  • Wide-area networks that allow communication among computers separated from one another by great distances have similar weaknesses. Rather than utilizing existing telecommunications systems, such as two data channel-one control channel systems like Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), they tend to require special, highly sophisticated cabling and circuitry. Moreover, wide-area networks typically cannot be assimilated seamlessly with local-area networks except through other special-purpose interfaces. Wide-area networks are also usually incapable of dynamic reconfiguration. A further deficiency with present-day local-area and wide-area networks is that each computer residing on a particular network typically remains connected to the network all the time, regardless of whether the computer is communicating with another computer or not. This means that the cabling used to connect computers into a network must be dedicated solely for the purpose of networking.
  • ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
  • the line that connects a particular computer to a server in a local- area networking environment cannot be used for any other purpose. Forced constant connection to a network also becomes expensive in the situation where a user of a computer connected to such a network is charged on a per-minute basis for the connection.
  • networking technology that utilizes general-purpose lines, such as existing telecommunications systems like ISDN, instead of special-purpose cables and circuitry.
  • networking technology that allows for the dynamic reconfiguration of a network, so that computers can be added to or removed from the network without disturbing existing communication among the other computers.
  • networking technology that enables a computer to be connected to a network only when it actually needs to communicate with another computer, instead of having to remain constantly connected to the network, and thus potentially incurring connect-time charges.
  • a ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable computer network utilizes an existing communications system.
  • a first embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of nodes. Each node is coupled to the existing communications system by two data channels and a control channel. The network is established by each data channel of each node connecting operably to a data channel of another node, so that all the nodes are ordered in a ring. The control channel of each node is operably connected to a switch of the existing communications system.
  • a network manager establishes the network, facilitates communication among the nodes, and dynamically reconfigures the network without disturbing communication among the nodes.
  • each node for joining a peer-to- peer ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable computer network of a plurality of nodes utilizing an existing communications system contains a network manager, while in a third embodiment of the invention a network adaptor is used to connect a node to such a network. Both of these embodiments also have network management capability providing the option of a node connecting to the network only when it actually needs to communicate with another node.
  • the present invention overcomes problems found in the prior art.
  • the nodes in the present invention connect in a ring-ordered network by utilizing an existing communications system, not special-purpose cables.
  • the network manager of the present invention allows for dynamic reconfiguration of the network, which enables nodes lo be added to or removed from the network without having to first take the entire network down.
  • the network managers also provides for the advantage of allowing a node to connect to the network only when it actually needs to communicate with another node.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram of the basic topology of a ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable network utilizing an existing communications system, according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is diagram of a typical computer networked according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram of a typical network card to allow a computer to be networked according to the present invention
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the preferred method to establish a network according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram of a network according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which only the nodes that arc actually communicating with another node are connected to the network;
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram of a network in which an additional node has to been added to the network, according to the present invention;
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the preferred method to add another node to the network according to the present invention
  • FIG. 8 is a diagram of a network in which a node has been removed from the network, according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the preferred method to remove a node from the network according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram of the logical data flow within a network according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 the basic topology of a ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable computer network utilizing an existing communications system according to the present invention is shown.
  • Nodes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 are operatively coupled to switch 20.
  • Switch 20 is part of the existing communications system, which in one particular embodiment is ISDN.
  • ISDN any existing communications system capable of implementing two data channels and one control channel can be used, whether such arrangement is logical or physical.
  • an ISDN line is usually a twisted-pair cable consisting of two wires, there are generally two logical data channels and a logical control channel transmitted over these two physical wires.
  • an embodiment of an ISDN line having six B channels and one D channels can also be used.
  • Each node is operatively coupled to the switch via a control channel of the existing communications system.
  • control channel 22 of node 10 is coupled to switch 20.
  • Each node is also operatively coupled to two other nodes.
  • node 10 is coupled to nodes 12 and 16;
  • node 12 is coupled to nodes 10 and 14;
  • node 14 is coupled to nodes 12 and 18;
  • node 16 is coupled to nodes 10 and 18; and
  • node 18 is coupled to nodes 16 and 14.
  • Each node is operatively coupled to two other nodes via data channels of the existing communications system, through the switch.
  • data channel 24 of node 10 is operatively coupled to data channel 28 of node 12 at switch 20
  • data channel 26 of node 10 is operatively coupled to data channel 30 of node 16 at switch 20.
  • the nodes are ordered in a ring.
  • the number of nodes of a network contemplated by the invention can be either greater or less than the number shown in FIG. 1.
  • Nodes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1 are typically computers having networking capability. However, the nodes can also be printers, or other devices, and the invention is not limited to nodes being computers.
  • FIG. 2 an example of a computer is shown.
  • Computer 34 has connected to it monitor 36 and keyboard 38. Not shown is that computer 34 typically has a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a central processing unit (CPU), and a storage device such as a hard and/or floppy disk drive.
  • Line 40 is also connected to computer 34, and comprises the data channels and control channel referred to in FIG. 1 (for example, data channels 22 and 24 and control channel 26 of node 10).
  • each node of the network is a computer as shown in FIG. 2.
  • a network manager functions to establish the network, facilitate communication among the nodes, and to dynamically reconfigure the network without disturbing communication among the nodes.
  • the network manager is contained within each node such that the nodes communicate in a peer-to-peer manner.
  • a port controller runs on each computer to perform the network manager function.
  • a single node is selected as a master node and must always be coupled to the network to perform the network manager functions.
  • a network card couples each line to each computer (for example, line 40 to computer 34). Examples of such network cards that may be modified according to the present invention include the IBM WaveRunner, and the SecureLink II. Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of such a network card is shown.
  • Network card 41 has interface 43 for coupling to a computer, and has logical data connections 45 and 47 and logical control connections 49 for coupling to two data channel and a control channel, respectively, of an existing communication system. As those skilled in the art know, however, these logical connections frequently will make up a single port, for example, connector 53.
  • Interface 43 in one embodiment is a connector for connection to a PCI bus, as those skilled in the art recognize as a common interface by which expansion cards are connected to a computer; however, the invention is not so limited.
  • Network card 41 also contains data processing logic 51. The port controller runs on each network card, via logic 51 , to perform the network manager function.
  • the invention contemplates a list of nodes that are to be networked. As those skilled in the art can readily appreciate, this list of nodes can be created in a number of ways, and the invention is not limited to any one particular manner. For example, the list of nodes can be predetermined such that each node has the list prior to the establishment of the network. Alternatively, the list of nodes can be completely specified by the node which is initiating the network, and passed on to other nodes as they are connected to the network.
  • the list itself must contain enough identifying information regarding each node so that the node can be contacted through the existing communications system, and distinguished from the other nodes.
  • the existing communications system is ISDN
  • the list would preferably contain what is known as the directory number of each data channel at each node, as well as the name of the node.
  • Each node therefore, has two directory numbers associated with it, one for each data channel.
  • the name of a particular node commonly corresponds to the name of the user of that node. Still referring to FIG.
  • step 44 the variable X is set to the total number of nodes on the list of nodes that are to be networked, while the variable N is a counter which is initially set to 1 to indicate the first node.
  • the nomenclature “node X” refers to the last node to be networked, while “node N” refers to the Nth node.
  • step 46 node N contacts node N+l to alert node N+l that it wishes to connect with node N+l . This is accomplished by node N sending a message from its control channel to the switch.
  • the message contains node N's directory numbers, or other unique address information for that node within the existing communications systems, the directory numbers or other unique address information of node N+l , and a command to the switch that node N wishes to connect with node N+l .
  • node N connects to node N+l . This is accomplished by a data connection of node N connecting to a data channel of node N+l within the switch. That is, the switch causes a connection to be made between node N and node N+l, assuming that node N+l is available (i.e., not communicating with another node).
  • the counter is advanced to the next node, that is, the variable N is increased by one. If in step 52 the variable N is not equal to the variable X, then control is returned to step 46, and the entire process is repeated. Thus, node 1 contacts and then connects to node
  • node 2 contacts and then connects to node 3, etc.
  • the last node contacts the first node in step 54 and the last node connects to the first node in step 56.
  • the last node contacts the first node in step 54 in the same manner in which node N contacts node N+l in step 46, while the last node connects to the first node in the same manner in which node N connects to node N+l in step 48.
  • node 3 contacts and connects to node 1, completing the network.
  • the network is established bi-directionally.
  • a first node would simultaneously contact two other nodes that are to be networked.
  • Each of these nodes would then contact another node, which would also contact another node, this process continuing until all the nodes are connected to the network.
  • nodes being numbered one through four
  • node one would connect with nodes two and three.
  • nodes two and three would then connect with node four, completely establishing the network.
  • This alternative embodiment has the advantage that the network will be established twice as quickly than if the process shown in FIG. 4 is followed to establish the network.
  • the invention allows for a node refusing entry into the network.
  • node N contacts node N+l .
  • node N+l may respond to node N that it does not wish to enter the network.
  • node N+l may be "busy" in that it does not have open data channels with which to connect to the network. In such case, node N contacts and then connects with node N+2 as already discussed in conjunction with steps 46 and 48 of FIG. 4, and the remainder of the network is established as has already been discussed.
  • FIG. 5 a network according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown.
  • a particular node may not communicate frequently with other nodes. Under the present invention, this node would not have to remain connected to the network at all times. Any connect-time charges that this node might incur will, therefore, be substantially less than if the node had to remain connected to the network constantly.
  • nodes 80 and 94 are communicating with another. Therefore, nodes 80 and 94 are the only nodes operatively coupled to one another, as well as to switch 96.
  • Nodes 76, 78, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, and 92 potentially could also join the network if they needed to communicate with another node, but as shown in FIG. 5, they do not, and therefore are not shown as having joined the network.
  • FIG. 6 the dynamic addition of a node to a network according to the present invention is shown.
  • the addition of a node is dynamic in that network communication is not disturbed while a node is being added to the network.
  • the present invention contemplates the addition of a node to the network in two situations, although the invention is not so limited. First, a node is added to the network if it is not part of the original list of nodes to be networked, but wishes to join the network. Second, a node is added to the network when it needs to communicate with other nodes on the network, under the alternative embodiment of the present invention where nodes are only connected to the network when they need to communicate with other nodes.
  • either the node initiating communication with another node, the node receiving the communication, or both, may have to be added to the network.
  • FIG. 6 Comparing FIG. 6 to FIG. 1, the same network is shown, with nodes 10', 12', 14', 16' and 18' of FIG. 6 corresponding to nodes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1, and switch 20' OF FIG. 6 corresponding to switch 20 of FIG. 1.
  • the difference is that while in FIG. 1 data channel 26 of node 10 connects to data channel 30 of node 16, in FIG. 6 data channel 26' of node 10' connects to data channel 98 of additional node 100, and data channel 30' of node 16' connects to data channel 102 of additional node 100.
  • control channel 104 of additional node 100 connects to switch 20'.
  • step 108 an additional node contacts two adjacent nodes in the network, in a similar manner as node N contacts node N+l in step 46 of FIG. 4.
  • the additional node first contacts a node it knows to be already connected on the network.
  • the present invention contemplates the additional node having the list of nodes to be networked, although the invention is not so limited. The actual node that is contacted by the additional node does not matter under the present invention.
  • the first node on the list is contacted.
  • the node contacted by the additional node provides information regarding an adjacent node to the additional node.
  • An example of such an additional node is additional node 100 in FIG. 6, while an example of two adjacent nodes in the network is nodes 10 and 16 in FIG. 1.
  • additional node 100 would contact node 10, and node 10 would provide additional node 100 information regarding node 16.
  • the information provided would preferably be the directory numbers of the adjacent node, as well as the adjacent node's name.
  • the node already on the network that is to be contacted by a node wishing to enter the network is alternatively determined under other schemes. For example, under one embodiment there is a primary node on the network that receives all incoming calls from other nodes wishing to enter the network.
  • the point of entry in the network for these other nodes is then between the primary node and an adjacent node to the primary node.
  • the primary node identifies another node on the network for the node wishing to enter the network to contact.
  • the node wishing to enter the network contacts the node on the network to which it is closest.
  • the node wishing to enter the network contacts the node on the network to which calling charges over the existing communications system is least expensive.
  • Other schemes of the present invention include selecting the node on the network to be contacted by a node wishing to enter the network based on speed or security concerns.
  • a gatekeeper node on the network that receives all incoming calls from other nodes wishing to enter the network, but does not allow certain nodes that are on a restricted list to enter the network, or only allows certain nodes that are on an authorized list to enter the network.
  • step 1 10 the two adjacent nodes drop connection to one another. That is, the data channel of one of the nodes no longer connects to a data channel of the other. An example of two adjacent nodes dropping connection to one another would be for data channel 26 of node 10 to disconnect from data channel 30 of node 16 in FIG. 1.
  • step 1 12 the additional node connects with each of the adjacent nodes, in the same manner as node N connects to node N+l in step 48 of FIG. 4.
  • data channel 98 of additional node 100 connects with data channel 26' of node 10' and data channel 102 of additional node 100 connects with data channel 30' of node 16' in FIG. 6.
  • the connections by may initiated by any one of each adjacent node pair. Once a node has been added to the network, each node receives a message by the network manager that the node has joined the network, so that, for example, the list of nodes possessed by each node in one embodiment of the invention can be updated.
  • FIG. 8 the dynamic removal of a node previously connected to a network according to the present invention is shown. Similar to the addition of a node, the removal of a node is dynamic in that removal of a node does not disturb communication over the network.
  • the present invention contemplates the removal of a node from the network in two situations, although the invention is not so limited. First, a node is removed from the network if it wishes to leave the network. Second, a node is removed from the network if it is currently not communicating with other nodes on the network, under the alternative embodiment of the present invention where nodes are only connected to the network they need to communicate with other nodes. Comparing FIG. 8 to FIG.
  • nodes 10", 12", 14", 16" and 18" of FIG. 8 corresponding to nodes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1, and switch 20" of FIG. 8 corresponding to switch 20 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 1 data channel 26 of node 10 connects to data channel 30 of node 16
  • FIG. 8 data channel 26" of node 10" connects to data channel 1 14 of node 18".
  • node 16 in FIG. 1 has been removed from the network in FIG. 8; its control channel is no longer connected to the switch, and the two other nodes it had been connected to via data channels (nodes 10 and 18) are now connected to one another in FIG. 8.
  • a flow chart of the preferred method to dynamically remove a node from a network according to the present invention is shown.
  • the steps of the flow chart are executed by a removal module of the network manager.
  • a node on the network contacts the two nodes to which its data channels connect to notify them that it is leaving the network.
  • this contact is facilitated through the data channels; however, the invention is not so limited in scope, and this contact could potentially also be facilitated through the control channel. For example, if node 16 of FIG. 1 were leaving the network, it would contact both node 10 and node 18.
  • step 120 the two nodes to which the leaving node is connected disconnect from the leaving node.
  • node 10 would disconnect its data channel 26 from data channel 30 of node 16
  • node 18 would disconnect its data channel from the other data channel of node 16.
  • the control channel of the leaving node is disconnected from the switch.
  • the control channel of node 16 of FIG. 1 would be disconnected from switch 20.
  • step 122 the now-open data channels of the two nodes that were previously connected to the leaving node are connected to one another. For example, upon the removal of node 16 in FIG. 1 , the network appears as it does in FIG.
  • the network manager can transmit to each node still on the network a confirmation message that the node has left the network, so that, for example, the list of nodes possessed by each node in a particular embodiment of the invention can be updated.
  • FIG. 10 a diagram of the logical data flow of a network according to the present invention is shown.
  • the logical data flow in FIG. 10 corresponds to the network shown in FIG. 1.
  • Nodes 10"", 12"", 14"", 16"", and 18"" of FIG. 10 correspond to nodes 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1
  • switch 20"" of FIG. 10 corresponds to switch 20 of FIG. 1.
  • the data channels of the nodes make for a ring-ordered logical data flow, which is shown as data ring 124 in FIG. 9.
  • data ring 124 is bi ⁇ directional in one embodiment.
  • the control channels of the nodes make for a star-ordered logical control flow, the control star having its hub at switch 20"" and legs 126, 128, 130, 132 and 134 in FIG. 10.
  • a token protocol can be used to manage communications among the nodes.
  • a token is passed around nodes 10"", 12"", 14"" and 16"" via legs 126, 134, 132, 130, and 128, respectively.
  • this node may first have to wait for the other nodes to be connected to the network prior to communicating, under the embodiment of the invention where a node only is connected to the network when it is communicating with other nodes.
  • the network manager can limit the node to using only a portion of the bandwidth of the data ring.
  • the bandwidth of the data ring is usually 64,000 bits per second (bps) in each direction.
  • each node may be allocated the same amount of bandwidth.
  • the network manager can allow the node to use the entire bandwidth of the data ring when the token is at that particular node. However, as those skilled in the art can appreciate, in this situation one node could potentially monopolize the entire bandwidth. If only allocated a portion of the bandwidth, a node could simultaneously communicate while other nodes are also communicating.
  • the invention is not so limited as to encompass only a token-ring protocol of communication, however.
  • Other and further protocols can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
  • a node has permission to communicate with other nodes in the network when either token is at that node.
  • there is a protocol facilitating simultaneous communication among the nodes without interference For example, if there are four nodes in a network according to the present invention, the invention allows two of the nodes to communicate with one another while the other two nodes also communicate with one another, without any interference. As those skilled in the art understand, this is possible because of the bi-directional nature of the invention when used with a bi-directional existing communications system such as ISDN.
  • a specific ISDN line known as a Basic Rate Interface line typically comprises two B channels and a D channel.
  • the B channels correspond to the data channels coupling nodes to other nodes
  • the D channel corresponds to the control channel coupling a node to the switch.
  • each B channel has a data rate of 64,000 bits per second (bps)
  • the D channel has a data rate of 16,000 bits per second (bps). Therefore, each corresponding data channel also has a rate of 64,000 bits per second (bps), while the corresponding control channel has a rate of 16,000 bits per second (bps).
  • each channel of an ISDN line is bi ⁇ directional. Therefore, each B channel has a data rate of 64,000 bits per second (bps) in each direction, and the D channel has a data rate of 16,000 bits per second (bps) in each direction.
  • an ISDN line can be executed in a number of different ways, for example, what is know as a twisted pair. Furthermore, the data rate of the individual channels is not always 64,000 or 16,000 bits per second (bps). In a scheme of ISDN primarily used by Pac Bell, each B channel has a data rate of 56,000 bits per second (bps), instead of 64,000 bits per second (bps).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
  • Nitrogen And Oxygen Or Sulfur-Condensed Heterocyclic Ring Systems (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un réseau informatique en anneau reconfigurable dynamiquement, utilisant un système de communications existant. Le réseau comporte plusieurs noeuds. Chaque noeud est couplé au système de communications existant par deux voies de transmission de données et un canal de commande. Le réseau est établi par la connexion exploitable de chaque voie de transmission de données de chaque noeud à une voie de transmission de données d'un autre noeud. Tous les noeuds sont ordonnés dans un anneau. Le canal de commande de chaque noeud est connecté de façon exploitable à l'inverseur du système de communications existant. Le réseau comporte également un gestionnaire de réseau permettant d'établir le réseau, de faciliter la communication de données entre les noeuds, et de reconfigurer dynamiquement le réseau sans que cela perturbe la communication de données entre les noeuds. Eventuellement, chaque noeud est connecté au réseau uniquement s'il y a réelle nécessité de communiquer avec un autre noeud.
EP97932375A 1996-06-26 1997-06-26 Reseau ordonne en anneau reconfigurable dynamiquement Ceased EP0908039A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US670609 1996-06-26
US08/670,609 US6490247B1 (en) 1996-06-26 1996-06-26 Ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable network using an existing communications system
PCT/US1997/011333 WO1997050212A1 (fr) 1996-06-26 1997-06-26 Reseau ordonne en anneau reconfigurable dynamiquement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0908039A1 true EP0908039A1 (fr) 1999-04-14

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US (1) US6490247B1 (fr)
EP (1) EP0908039A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2000513529A (fr)
AU (1) AU3585097A (fr)
CA (1) CA2259338A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1997050212A1 (fr)

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CA2259338A1 (fr) 1997-12-31
WO1997050212A1 (fr) 1997-12-31
AU3585097A (en) 1998-01-14
JP2000513529A (ja) 2000-10-10
US6490247B1 (en) 2002-12-03

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